Setting up VRS
Setting up VRS seems to be the hardest part about using it for some reason. I think everyone screwed this up at one point or another. Realize that I am writing this from a clean install. This means that the App was deleted off of my Computer as well as the Registry Entries.
If you have already tried to open VRS and had no success, then you need to delete your Registry Entries as well. It's as simple as opening your Run Command, typing in regedit, then opening HKEY_CURRENT_USER and looking for the CresDes Entry. Once you find the CresDes entry, delete it. Yes, the WHOLE thing. No, not the WHOLE Registry, just the CresDes entry. Now close RegEdit and continue with the setup below.
- After Downloading VRS, unzip it to the location you want. I might recommend, at this time, making a seperate folder named FFXI_Apps or something along those lines. Place all your editing Apps into this folder and then you can add a quicklaunch to the folder on your Windows Taskbar.
- Open the unzipped folder and choose VRS.exe, not Virtual_Reality_Studio.exe. You must be connected to the internet when starting this App.
- A loading screen will popup with some cool THX wanna-be audio, followed by an "error" box.
- It loads everytime, so just click OK.
- Next, you'll get a password prompt.
- Username and Password are both case sensitive. You will need to write an eMail to the JP author and translate it using Babelfish to request your username and password. He should send something back within a month to a month and a half.
- I'm kidding. Sorry, can't help myself sometimes. Username and Password are both Guest. Remember your capital letter at the beginning.
- When it finally does open, go ahead and close the tooltips window. You won't need it.
- If you have a blank screen with nothing selectable except File>Open, go ahead and open the White_Paper.scn file in the VRS Folder.
- Your main VRS screen is gonna load up jumbled with windows and tool boxes.
- By adjusting, closing, and toolbarring different boxes and windows, you can get a much cleaner workspace like I have done. If you choose something different, more power to ya. Your success with VRS is mainly going to bank on you being comfortable with your workspace.
- Before moving on, I recommend saving your layout as a .SCN file. In my case it will be a blank .SCN titled Tutorial.scn. This way, when you goto work on a new project, you can start by loading this file and have your window settings the way you want them. Just don't overwrite it.
- And now you're ready to actually learn something about this App and Configure it properly.
- File Menu - Allows you to change or access different tools and settings for your Model.
- Structural Drawing Window - Shows the component breakdown of a .DAT. We get plenty more in-depth with this window later.
- Spacial Figure Window - The main editing window. You can have more than one, but one is sufficient for FFXI Modding.
- Operation Tool Box - Selects the Operation that you will be using. Changes according to the working window, so be sure to get associated with the Operations you can perform with each Window.
- Object Tool Box - Allows you to select which Editable Objects you will be working with.
- Processing Tool Box - Various Coordinate related tools. Not used very often.
- Primitive Tool Box - Used to create a Primitive for your Model.
- Tool Tool Box - Allows you to Import and Export your Model into .DAT form.
- Status Bar - Shows stuff related to things you do.
- Axis Indicator - Shows you in which direction you have your Model turned.
File Menus
The File Menu has alot of stuff in it under every option. Some things will only be selectable under certain circumstances and some just mirror the same commands in every other File Menu. I'll try to keep this as simple as possible. Good luck to me...
- New - Creates a new .scn file.
- Open - Opens an existing .scn file.
- Close - Closes current .scn.
- Save - Saves current .scn.
- Save As - Saves current .scn under a name you specify.
- Import/Export - Can Import / Export certain objects of a Model. Not really useful.
- Properties - Opens Application Poperties.
- Printer Stuff - Do stuff with your printer and Model.
- Recent File Quickload - Quickloads your most recent .scn files.
- Close VRS - Sends all your work to a 5th dimension.
- Undo / Redo - Undo or Redo your last action. Works the same as CRTL+Z and CTRL+Y.
- Cut / Copy / Paste / Delete - You should probably know what this is by now.
- Select All - Selects all current Editable Objects.
- De-Select - De-Selects all current Editable Objects.
- Show Full Model - Zooms entire Model to fit inside Spatial Window.
- Show Selection - Zooms only selected portion of Model to fit inside Spatial Window.
- Menu - Toggles the File Menu on and off.
- Status - Toggles the Status Bar on and off.
- File - Quicklaunch to File operations. File operations control the handling of files.
- Edit - Quicklaunch to Edit Operations. Edit operations control simple things done with Editable Objects. Most can be accomplished through easy to remember Keyboard Shortcuts since they mask about every other App.
- Show / Hide Toolbar - Quicklaunch to Show / Hide for Tool Boxes. Show / Hide operations control which Tool Boxes you want visible while working.
- View - Quicklaunch to View operations. View operations control which windows you want visible while working.
- New - Quicklaunch to New operations. New operations control various Editable Objects you can add to you Model.
- Operation - Quicklaunch to Operations operations. Heh heh. Operations operations control which actions you can take on the currently selected Editable Object.
- Object - Quicklaunch to Object operations. Object operations control which Editable Object you want to select.
- Coordinate - Quicklaunch to Coordinate operations. Coordinate operations control placement of Vertices along coordinates in various manners.
- Build - Quicklaunch to Build operations. Build operations control Audio and Movement control for your Model. Useless at this time.
- Window - Quicklaunch to Window operations. Window operations control how your Active Windows are laid out.
- Help - Quicklaunch to Help operations. Help operations give you a false sense of hope, making you think that there will actually be help within the files.
- Processing - Quicklaunch to Processing Tool Box. The Processing Tool Box contains functions that allow you to move and change Editable Objects within a Window.
- Information - Quicklaunch to Information Tool Box. This is some in-depth stuff. Too much info about a Model for me to understand, honestly.
- Primative - Quicklaunch to Primitive Tool Box. Tool Box for creating Primitives. You can adjust by Size on Axis and Vertex count.
- Tool - Quicklaunch to Tool Tool Box. Opens your Tool Box to allow loading of FFXI .DAT's through the VRS FFXI Tools.
- Options - Opens Options Menu for editing. Brings up the Options Menu for further customization of your screen.
- Structure Drawing - Opens a Structural Drawing window. This window allows you to view and change the make-up of a .DAT.
- Schedule - opens a Schedule window. Useless at this time.
- Sound - Opens a Sound window. Also useless.
- Effect - Opens an Efect window. Useless.
- Motion Playback - Opens a Motion Playback window. Same.
- Motion - Opens a Motion window. See above.
- Spatial Figure - Opens a Spatial Figure window. You guessed it. This window is where you are able to edit your Model in detail as well as view from any angle. Not useless.
- Skeleton Weight - Opens a Skeletal Weight window. If you add new Editabel Objects, Primitives, or are doing a Model Conversion you will need to undertand this window. Every single Vertex must have a Skeletal Weight assigned.
- Light / Write - Opens a Light / Write window. Ugh...
- Camera - Opens a Camera window. Almost done with the useless.
- Material - Opens a Material window. This will allow you to add properties to your Texture, such as reflective or dull Materials.
- Texture - Opens a Texture window. You can completely change a Model's Texture here, or just use it to add a Texture to a Primitive.
- Picture - Opens a Picture window. Finally done being useless.
- Create Material - The Polygons of a Model must be selected before using this. It will create a new Material over the selected Polygons.
- Create Texture - The Polygons of a Model must be selected before using this. It will create a new Texture over the selected Polygons.
Operation
-is also this-
- Single Selection - Allows you to select a single Editable Object.
- Invert Selection - Don't know what this does. My selections always stay the same.
- Add Selection - Allows you to select specific Editable Objects to your current selection.
- Remove Selection - De-Selects Editable Objects.
- Rotate Camera - Rotates the view in your Spatial Window.
- Rotate Camera on Z Axis - Rotates the camera in your Spatial View on the Z-Axis.
- Move Camera - Moves the camera in Spatial View.
- Move Camera on Z Axis - Moves the camera in Spatial View on the Z-Axis.
- Screen Distance of Camera - Sets the amount of Distance Distortion your Model has. Kinda annoying.
- Zoom - Allows zooming of Model or Structural Drawing.
- Zoom to Area - Screws up the Camera for some reason. Don't use.
- Show - Unhides selected Editable Objects.
- Hide - hides selected Editbale Objects.
- Color? - Allows you to change the color of Structural Drawing Objects.
- W.O.S.D.V.A.C.O.S. - Locks Editable Object in Structural Drawing window. Annoying.
- W.A.V.A.C.O.S. - Unlocks Editable Objects in the Structural Drawing window.
- Retention / Compensation - Don't worry about any of these operations. Haven't found a use for them yet.
- Create Vertex - Allows you to create a Vertex on one of the Cordinate Planes. Vertices created this way must be placed directly on a plane, versus onto the Model. It is not to use the recommended method of operation for vertex created. [love that Engrish]
- Create Vertex [center] - Creates a new Vertex in the center of two other Vertices on an existing Edge. Your best bet for adding Vertices.
- Create Vertex [existing] - Creates a new Vertex anywhere on an existing Edge.
- Create Edge - Creates a new Edge between two existing Vertices. Using this operation versus the "Create Polygon" option will split the current Polygon between the Edge, instead of creating a new one. Much preferred by yours' truly.
- Create Polygon - creates a new Polygon between Vertices. This Polygon can then be extruded or resized in Meta or however you choose to do it. Just be aware that this Polygon will have the properties of a new Object, rather than carrying the properties of the old as it does with creating a new Edge.
- Scale - Scales editale Objects.
- Rotate - Rotates Editable Objects.
- Move - Moves Editable Objects.
Object
-is also this-
- Scene - Allows for selection of Scenes in Structural Drawing Window. Useless.
- Wave - Allows for selection of Wave in Structural Drawing Window. Useless.
- Sound - Allows for selection of Sound in Structural Drawing Window. Useless.
- Effect Group - Allows for selection of Effect Groups in Structural Drawing Window. Useless.
- Effect - Allows for selection of Effects in Structural Drawing Window. Useless.
- Actor Playback - Allows for selection of Actor Playbacks in Structural Drawing Window. Useless.
- Motion Playback Group - Allows for selection of Motion Playback Groups in Structural Drawing Window. Useless.
- Motion Playback - Allows for selection of Motion Playback in Structural Drawing Window. Useless.
- Actor - Allows for selection of Actors in Structural Drawing Window. Useless.
- Motion - Allows for selection of Motions in Structural Drawing Window. Useless.
- Motion Object - Allows for selection of Motion Objects in Structural Drawing Window. Useless.
- Motion Frame - Allows for selection of Motion Frames in Structural Drawing Window. Useless.
- Model - Allows for selection of .DAT's in Structural Drawing Window. Useless.
- Mesh Object - Allows for selection of Models within either window.
- Skeleton - Allows for selection of Skeletal Objects within either window.
- Light / Write Object - Allows for selection of Light/ Write Objects. Useless.
- Camera Object - Allows for selection of Camera Objects. Useless.
- Vertex - Allows for selection of Vertices in the Spacial Figure window.
- Normal Line - Allows for selection of Normal Lines. Useless.
- Edge - Allows for selection of Edges in the Spatial Figure window.
- Polygon - Allows for selection of Polygons in the Spatial Figure window.
- Material - ugh... Allows for selection of Material in the Spatial Figure window.
- Texture - Allows for selection of Textures in the Spatial Figure window.
- Picture - Does something, I'm sure. Useless.
- Cascade - Aligns open windows in a cascading array of graphical excellence.
- Horizontal - Horizontally aligns your windows.
- Vertical - Vertically aligns your windows.
- Alignment of idea Contest? - Allows you to submit a Screenshot of your Screen Layout to the Author to be entered into a monthly drawing for a novelty Sombrero PEZ dispenser.
- Close All - Closes all open windows.
- Window Select - Allows you to bring the desired window into the foreground.
Viewable Windows
You can have as many Viewable Windows as you can handle. I prefer to work with only 2, but if you want 17 Structural Drawing windows up at once all with different colored labels then be my guest. You have the power to do that, so lets learn how.
- .DAT Files - These files contain all of the .DAT information. They need not be erased or even looked at, lest your face eat itself. At some time in the future they may contain Motion information, but for now they are just there.
- Skeletal Files - These are the Skeletal Files of the Model. If you open up the Skeletal Weight Window, you'll notice that these files all correspond to a Weight or a number of weights.
- Combined UV File - This file contains the current Texture, Material, and UV Map of the Model. No point in really changing it since it can be done easier using the actual Material and Texture Files and then remapping the UV in Meta.
- Model File - This is where Model information is kept. This is also considered the Main Object File. 9/10 times if you get an error when you first try to Export, it is because you don't have only this File selected.
- Material File - This contains the Material info for your Model. Can be deleted or overwritten, but it does have to be there for a successful Export.
- Texture File - Contains the Texture for your Model. Same as above.
Spatial View
- Not much to tell about this, but I'll show ya some things. First off, the Skeleton of your Model is gonna look something like this :
- Notice that the Skeleton is broken up into individual Cones. These correspond to the Skeletal Files in the Structural Drawing window. Not much you can really do with these because the Motions still affect how far the Skeleton moves.
- Extreme adjustments create hilarious results, while minute ones might give you an effect you were looking for. You're just gonna have to play around with it, depending on what you want to accomplish.
- Next is the actual view of your Model, without the Skeleton or Textures showing.
- Alot of Wireframe there for such a small Model. This will be the view you'll mainly use when editing, since it's simple enough for VRS to get what you need done.
- It's still a pretty confusing window, but there are some things we can do to make it easier on the eyes. I'm not going to cover any of them, though, until the next section of this tutorial, cuz I'm an ass.
Spatial View Properties - The next section
©2006 Grumpy Rarab Ltd.
Bring this Menu up easily by Right-Clicking the Spatial Window.
